The 3 best tinnitus remedies — and 6 to avoid

What Is Tinnitus?

Although we don't fully understand tinnitus, we think it's a brain issue rather than simply an ear problem, says Elina Kari, MD, a neurotologist and an assistant professor of surgery at UC San Diego Health. (A neurotologist specializes in treating neurological disorders of the ear.) The hearing pathway starts with the ear and goes up to your brain stem. And the dorsal cochlear nucleus, located on the brain stem, has been implicated in tinnitus.

There are two different kinds of tinnitus: subjective and pulsatile. More than 99 percent of people with tinnitus have subjective, where they hear a constant high-pitched noise, like a whir or crickets, says Dr. Kari. This type has no cause.

Pulsatile tinnitus has specific known causes, such as anemia, high blood pressure, or an ear infection. Those with pulsatile tinnitus hear a clicking sound associated with the contraction of muscles or a pulsing like your heartbeat, Kari says.

Most people experience tinnitus in both ears. The noise can be constant or intermittent. And while it is extremely common, only a minority of people [find it debilitating], Kari says. The best solution is to ignore it and learn to live with it, she adds.

If that sounds easier said than done, we have three at-home tinnitus remedies that can bring relief and six that probably wont.

Can Tinnitus Be Cured?

There is no cure for tinnitus most people have to incorporate lifestyle changes to soften or live with the ear ringing. The following strategies wont completely relieve it, but they may offer some relief.

1. Add Background Noise

2. Try Meditation or Therapy

Some people think they need to empty their minds to meditate, which can be stressful if you have tinnitus, Kari says. But guided meditation helps manage tinnitus as well as improving your mood and sleep, and promoting a general state of well-being.

3. Get Enough Sleep

What Doesnt Help Tinnitus

Research has been mixed on other purported tinnitus solutions. The following have no solid evidence to back them up.

1. Avoiding Certain Foods

2. Ear Drops

Ear drops may help with earwax buildup, but if you have tinnitus, the problem is usually much deeper than the middle ear and often the brain is involved as well, Kari says. In other words, ear drops wont likely do anything, she adds.

3. Jaw or Neck Exercises

4. Lipo Flavonoid

When people ask about Lipo Flavonoid, I usually shrug, Kari says. She adds that you are better off getting antioxidants through fruits and vegetables in your diet.

5. Vitamins

Still, there may be no correlation. I have never seen vitamin deficiency as a contributing factor for tinnitus, Kari says. You can check with your primary care doctor to see if you have any deficiencies, but I would not self-treat with vitamins, because they can lead to toxicity and have negative side effects.

6. Vicks VapoRub

According to Kari, there is a myth that Vicks VapoRub a salve that contains menthol alleviates tinnitus, but she says there is no evidence it works, and, in fact, it can be dangerous.

I have not heard this to be effective, and I would be careful because applying it in your ears can lead to toxic effects, Kari says.

When to See a Doctor for Tinnitus

This multimodality treatment teaches your brain not to care about the ringing by habituating it to the sound, Kari says. Although it works, she adds its pretty intensive, not covered by insurance, and very few hearing centers offer it.

Tinnitus can also come and go; recovery is not linear. If you go through a period where you are stressed and not sleeping well, you might notice it flares. Once you are feeling better, the tinnitus should improve, Kari says.

The Takeaway